


Firequacker 2000

by babyblueglasses



Category: Avengers Academy (Video Game), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Cute, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Friendship, Fun, Gen, Robots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-01
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-04-16 19:52:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14172231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/babyblueglasses/pseuds/babyblueglasses
Summary: When Avengers Academy announces that they’re holding a robotics competition, Tony completely throws himself into it.





	Firequacker 2000

When Tony saw the flyer for a robotics competition at Avengers Academy, he was so excited that he peeled it off the wall and lovingly placed it in his bag. The flyer spent the next several weeks taped above his desk. 

 

“Rhodey! Rhodey, look, I’ve added this so that even if it gets knocked over, it’ll be able to get back up again.” 

Rhodey gave his roommate the same smile he did every time Tony added something new and wonderful to the duck sized robot. It was starting to look like a duck, actually, but Rhodey didn’t mention that. “All you need to win is for it to solve the maze. Do you really think something’s going to knock it over?” 

“I mean, just because they’re not combating in the first round doesn’t mean something couldn’t happen if there’s a tie breaker.” Tony scratched his beard, studying his work again. 

Rhodey wasn’t convinced. But Tony enjoyed preparing for every possibility, so Rhodey was happy for him. Privately, he thought Tony was a shoe-in, so all the extra effort wasn’t needed. “That’s a good idea,” Rhodey said. 

Tony beamed at him. Rhodey went back to studying. 

 

Steve crossed his arms, looking around the room in amusement. Tony had been talking about the robot nonstop for weeks. “It’s a little smaller than I expected,” Steve admitted. 

“I don’t know how big the walls of the maze will be,” Tony said. He waited for Steve to say something more, obviously hoping for approval. 

Charmed, Steve broke into a smile. “It looks great. How’s it run?” 

Tony proceeded to show him, animatedly talking Steve’s ear off as he did. 

 

“It looks incredible, Tony,” Janet said. “Seriously. It’s as sleek as can be. I kind of want to steal it!” 

“You don’t think there’s too much red?” Tony asked. 

“Tony, its wonderful,” Janet assured him. “Now let’s go get ice cream.” Tony let himself be lead away, confident that his robot would win the competition no matter what. 

 

The day of the competition, the entire academy turned out. The auditorium was packed on all sides. The competitors were broken into brackets, and they advanced based on the amount of time it took them to complete a maze. There were pitfalls and traps along the way too, so Tony’s preparations hadn’t been a bad idea. 

Tony wasn’t scheduled to go first. He watched as Shuri and Barbara won their rounds. He was practically bouncing on his feet when he went up against Scott. He won easily, but he congratulated Scott all the same and joked around with him as they left the stage. 

Ultron was against him next. Ultron’s robot had been poorly assembled, and it didn’t walk in a straight line. Tony started progressing through the maze. His robot easily rounded the corners and jumped up onto the platform to complete the challenge. 

Tony let out a whoop and looked up at the scoreboard. 

His name wasn’t there. 

Ultron had beaten him by fifteen seconds. Tony stared in disbelief. He couldn’t understand. Ultron’s robot didn’t seem superior. Tony left the competition platform in a daze. 

“The legs on his moved faster,” Rhodey told him back in the crowd. “It just had more speed.” 

“How’d I not prepare for that?” Tony asked. 

Rhodey patted his back. “It happens sometimes.” 

“It’s alright Tony,” Steve said. “You’ll get it next time.” 

“Yours is still the best looking one,” Janet chimed in. 

Tony nodded and thanked them, but their words didn’t really sink in. He watched as the brackets thinned until finally, it was Riri Williams vs. Justin Hammer. Tony was screaming his heart out for her with everyone else. It all seemed to be going in her favor until hers got stuck in a trap. 

Tony didn’t bother to hide his disgust at Justin’s win. 

Of everyone there, Justin was the one person Tony felt shouldn’t have won. Even Ultron was excusable, partially because Ultron had redeemed himself at the academy. But Justin. That was salt in a wound.

Still, he might’ve been able to let it go if Justin hadn’t spotted him in the crowd and made his way over. “Hey Tony, how’s it going?” 

“Good,” Tony said, like he hadn’t lost to Ultron in front of everyone. But as much as he loathed Justin’s weasel face, he was going to be nice. He didn’t have to be sincere, he just had to act it. “Nice job today.” 

“Yeah,” Justin agreed. “Everyone’s been congratulating me. I feel like I’m never going to get out of here.” 

Tony’s jaw set. 

“It was an easy run. I thought the mazes were going to be harder.” Justin adjusted the trophy in his arms. “At least I got time to finish my robot with everything else I’ve got going on.” 

“Yeah. Well. See you Justin,” Tony said, sidestepping him and withdrawing back into the crowded auditorium as someone else walked up to congratulate him. 

Tony found a bench to sit on outside, cradling his robot in his lap. He turned it over again and again. How could he have made such a stupid mistake? 

He hadn’t even placed near the top. Maybe it was a wakeup call that he wasn’t very good at this. It wasn’t exactly unique to be a genius at the academy. It wasn’t unique to be good at engineering and technology either. 

The robot that Tony had labored over for weeks, crafting with care and growing to love had amounted to nothing. And Justin, weasel faced Justin, had been better than him. 

Tony felt the bench shake as someone sat down to him, their shadow blocking out the sun. Loki. He drew the robot from Tony’s lap and set it in his own. 

“It’s a fine looking robot, Armor-man.” He turned it over. “If you’re going to scrap it for roomba parts, I’ll take it.” 

Tony’s first instinct was to grab for it and demand it back. The thought flickered through his mind. His fingers twitched. “It won’t do much,” Tony said, grasping the edge of the bench. 

“Nonsense,” Loki said. Green flares lit up the eyes of the duck-like robot. “It will be quite adept at taking over the academy for me.” 

Tony found himself smiling, reaching for it. Loki allowed him to take it. The green vanished from its eyes. 

“I would’ve preferred it to take over the competition,” Tony admitted.

“I think you’re interested in the wrong prize.” 

Tony turned to him for an explanation. Loki set his arms along the back of the bench, stretching out. “It has been apparent to everyone that you’ve enjoyed creating that these past few weeks,” Loki said. He had to have been in a good mood for not calling Tony out on his pity party. “It seems foolish to throw that away simply because it did not win.” 

“But I made it to win,” Tony said, a little frustrated with him. That should’ve been obvious to Loki. “And it didn’t.” 

“In that case, I’ll take it,” Loki said, reaching for it. 

“No.” Tony held it to his chest before he realized what he was doing. “I—” Tony glanced away. 

“Like it?” 

“Uhh—” Tony pressed his lips together. “Yeah.” He deflated as he said it, realizing Loki had a point. 

“You can always make another,” Loki reminded him. He turned his gaze back on the courtyard, acting like he’d only come to relax on the bench and Tony was in the way. “I’m sure there will be other competitions. The whole academy turned out for this one.”

That didn’t actually make Tony feel better. He frowned at his robot, not wanting to tell Loki that he was ashamed. He didn’t know what to say.

Of course, Loki was probably better at reading people than anyone else. “You don’t want to do another competition,” Loki said. 

“I mean—” He would probably. But. “It’ll probably go the same.” 

“If you never win a competition, it was still worth doing,” Loki said. “This is a wonderful creation.” He stole it from Tony’s lap again. “Even if it is a loser.” 

Tony scowled, but Loki’s teasing actually made him feel better. And, slowly, he realized that Loki probably knew what he was talking about. Loki had competed in the same fighting tournaments as Thor had, but they’d never gone for him the way they had for Thor. 

“Has anyone told you this looks like a duck?” Loki asked, holding it up. 

Tony groaned, pressing a hand to his forehead. “Many times.” 

“I want five more of them, and I want one of those to shoot flames from its eyes.” 

“Why?” 

Loki turned to him with an expression that was dead serious. “It is a secret.” 

“I’m not building you a duck robot army, Loki.” 

“There are only six of them. That’s more of a small assassin squad.” Tony gave Loki a look and then reached for his duck robot. Loki clasped it against his chest. “It is mine now.” Loki rose from the bench. “Bring me the rest.” 

He vanished, leaving Tony alone. 

“He really just stole that, didn’t he?” Tony asked. 

The only answer was the wind blowing through the trees.


End file.
